Typical cooling systems contain a compressor for compressing a refrigerant to a higher pressure, a high-side heat exchanger for removing heat from the refrigerant, and a load (e.g., an evaporator) for transferring heat from the load into the refrigerant, where the refrigerant is at a lower pressure. The refrigerant is then passed back to the compressor, and the process repeats as necessary.
Anchor tubes are used to physically suspend the high-side heat exchanger assemblies and components and to carry substantial amounts of the weight of the high-side heat exchanger (e.g., the coil), while refrigerant tubes carry the refrigerant throughout the heat exchanger. Without the anchor tubes, refrigerant tubes would bear substantial amounts of weight of the high-side heat exchanger assemblies or components, and the refrigerant tubes would risk leaking from the additional stress. Anchor tubes do not carry the refrigerant.